Maths Games for Kids at Home: 12 Games with Cards, Dice and Shopping (Ages 5–10)

Most children don't need more maths worksheets. They need more maths that feels like play. A deck of cards, two dice and a trip to the shop can do more for number sense than an extra page of sums, because children play the same game again and again without being asked.

This guide gives you 12 maths games for kids at home, sorted by what you need and by age (5 to 10). Each game takes 5 to 15 minutes, needs no printouts, and comes with a worked example so you can check answers quickly. If your child is younger, start with our fun maths activities for preschoolers instead.

Why maths games work better than extra worksheets

1. Repetition without the groan. A child who rolls dice 30 times in a game has done 30 additions and asked for another round.
2. Quick recall grows naturally. Games reward fast answers, so number facts start to come from memory instead of finger counting.
3. Talking about maths. Asking "how did you get that?" during a game builds reasoning, not just answers.
4. Mistakes feel safe. A wrong answer in a game costs a point, not a red mark, so anxious children relax.

Games also match what schools expect. The English national curriculum for maths, followed by many British-curriculum schools in the Gulf, wants children to know number bonds to 20 by the end of Year 2 and multiplication tables up to 12 × 12 by the end of Year 4. In India, the NIPUN Bharat guidelines aim for times tables from 2 to 10 by the end of Class 3. Games are simply a friendlier way to get there.

Maths games with a deck of cards

Take out the picture cards (Jack, Queen, King) for the younger games, and count the Ace as 1. One normal deck is enough for every game below.

1. Make 10 (ages 5 to 7)

Lay 12 cards face up. Take turns picking up two cards that add to 10, such as 3 and 7, 4 and 6, or Ace and 9. Refill the gaps from the deck. The player with the most pairs wins. For older children, play Make 15 with two or three cards, for example 9 + 6 or 2 + 5 + 8.

2. Addition War and Multiplication War (ages 6 to 10)

Split the deck between two players. Each player turns over two cards and adds them. The bigger total wins all four cards. For example, 6 + 8 = 14 beats 9 + 3 = 12. Once tables are being learned, multiply instead: 6 × 8 = 48 beats 9 × 3 = 27. Ask the winner to say the sum out loud so both players hear it.

3. Biggest Number (ages 6 to 9)

Deal three cards to each player (Ace to 9 only). Each player arranges their cards to make the biggest three-digit number they can. With 4, 9 and 2 the best number is 942. Then switch to the smallest number (249). This builds place value, which sits under almost every later topic.

4. Closest to 100 (ages 8 to 10)

Deal four cards (Ace to 9). Make two two-digit numbers that add up as close to 100 as possible without going over. With 2, 5, 7 and 4, the player could make 52 + 47 = 99. Score the gap from 100, and the lowest total after five rounds wins. It's mental addition with a bit of strategy.

Maths games with dice

Ordinary six-sided dice from any board game work. A pencil and paper for keeping score is all else you need.

5. Race to 50 (ages 5 to 7)

Draw a number line from 0 to 50, or use a hundred square. Each player rolls one die and moves forward that many, saying the new number aloud: "I'm on 23, I rolled 4, now I'm on 27." First to 50 wins. Play Race Back to 0 from 50 for subtraction practice.

6. Times-Table Roll (ages 7 to 10)

Choose the table your child is learning, say the 7 times table. Roll one die and multiply: a roll of 4 means 7 × 4 = 28. Score a point for each correct, quick answer. Roll two dice and add them first to reach facts up to 7 × 12. Pair it with the patterns in our times tables tricks for kids and the free Younglabs maths tables game.

7. Shut the Box on paper (ages 6 to 9)

Write the numbers 1 to 9 in a row. Roll two dice and add them. Cross out any numbers that make that total. If you roll 5 and 3 (total 8), you can cross out 8, or 1 and 7, or 2 and 6, or 1, 2 and 5. When no numbers fit, add up the ones left. Lowest score wins. Children quickly start thinking about which combinations to keep.

8. Pig (ages 7 to 10)

On your turn, roll one die as many times as you like, adding each roll to your turn total. Stop whenever you want and bank the total. But if you roll a 1, you lose that turn's points. First to 100 wins. It's fast running addition plus a lesson in when to stop.

Shopping and kitchen maths games

Everyday maths is where children see why numbers matter. These games use things you already do.

9. Play shop with change (ages 5 to 9)

Put number tags on a few toys or snacks: 1 to 20 for younger children, up to 100 for older ones. Your child is the shopkeeper. You buy something tagged 35 and pay with 50. How much change? Show them how to count up: 35 to 40 is 5, and 40 to 50 is 10, so the change is 15. Then swap roles.

10. Estimate the total (ages 8 to 10)

At the supermarket, ask your child to estimate the total of three items by rounding. For items tagged 48, 21 and 39, round to 50 + 20 + 40 = 110. The exact total is 48 + 21 + 39 = 108, so the estimate was close. This habit of checking with an estimate also catches careless mistakes in tests.

11. Recipe doubler (ages 7 to 10)

When cooking, ask your child to double or halve a recipe. Two cups of rice for 4 people becomes four cups for 8 people. Three cups of milk halved is one and a half cups. Let them measure it out. It's a gentle first step into fractions and measurement.

12. Number plate sums (ages 6 to 10)

On a walk or in the car, pick a car number plate and add its digits. For 4721, that's 4 + 7 + 2 + 1 = 14. Older children can look for plates whose digits make exactly 20, or multiply the first two digits. It works in any city, from Delhi to Dubai.

Which game should you start with? A guide by age

1. Ages 5 to 6: Make 10, Race to 50, Play shop with tags up to 20. Focus on counting on and number bonds to 10.
2. Ages 7 to 8: Addition War, Shut the Box, Biggest Number, Number plate sums. Focus on facts to 20 and place value.
3. Ages 9 to 10: Multiplication War, Times-Table Roll, Closest to 100, Pig, Estimate the total, Recipe doubler. Focus on tables, mental addition and estimation.

Ages are a rough guide. If a game feels too hard, go one level down and build speed there first. Confidence on easy facts carries over to harder ones.

How to make maths fun for 8 year olds (and every age)

1. Keep it short. 10 minutes a day beats an hour on Sunday. Stop while your child still wants one more round.
2. Let them win sometimes, then less. Early wins build interest. As skills grow, play properly so wins feel earned.
3. Ask "how do you know?" When your child gives an answer, ask them to explain it. Explaining builds reasoning.
4. Rotate games. Pick two or three for the week and swap in a new one the next week so it stays fresh.
5. Join in. Children copy your attitude. If you enjoy the game, they will too. Avoid saying "I was never good at maths".
6. Mix in mental tricks. Once a game feels easy, show a shortcut from our 10 mental maths tricks every kid should know by age 10 and use it in the next round.

A simple weekly maths games routine

1. Monday: a card game (Make 10 or Addition War).
2. Tuesday: a dice game (Race to 50 or Times-Table Roll).
3. Wednesday: everyday maths (Recipe doubler or Number plate sums).
4. Thursday: repeat your child's favourite from the week.
5. Friday or the weekend: Play shop or Estimate the total on a real shopping trip.

Keep a simple score sheet on the fridge. Children like seeing their best scores go up, and it shows you which facts are getting quicker.

When games aren't enough

Games build fluency and confidence, but they can't fill a missing concept on their own. If your child still counts on fingers for small sums late in Class 2, or freezes on place value or tables in Class 4, read our guide on what to do if your child is weak in maths to find where the gap starts. Talk to their class teacher too.

Some children do best with a patient teacher who can spot the exact gap and rebuild it step by step. Younglabs runs live online maths classes for children in India and the Gulf. You can book a free maths class to see where your child stands and what to practise next.

Maths games for kids at home: FAQs